Published: Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 11:58 p.m.

During hard times like these, when the yards, first downs and points are difficult to come by and the losses are accumulating, coaches and athletic directors tend to urge the fan base to be patient, saying that everything will be OK.

Facts

Saturday's game

But in the case of Florida's slumping offense, it may not be realistic to ask for more patience from the fans. Because this slump the Gators are mired in has not been for just a few games or a few months, it is now deep into its fourth consecutive season.

The Florida offense has been erratic, sporadic and one of the most inefficient and ineffective in college football over the past four years. The Gators have been missing more than they've been hitting since the Tim Tebow era ended with an offensive explosion (51 points, 482 yards passing, 659 total yards) in the 2010 Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati.

The UF offense has not had a performance even close to that one since.

Here are some of the grim facts and figures covering the three-plus seasons of offensive struggles:

■ The Gators have been held to single digits in scoring in seven games.

■ There has been only one 300-yard passing game, that coming against Furman in 2011.

■ There have been 28 games where the Gators have thrown for less than 200 yards.

■ The Gators have had only 16 games where they produced 400 or more total yards.

■ UF's most productive offense over the past four years was Steve Addazio's 2010 group, which finished the season ranked 88th in the nation in total offense.

In the two-plus seasons under Will Muschamp, the offensive numbers are even more startling.

Here are some of the facts and figures under Muschamp:

■ UF has been held to single-digit points in four games.

■ The offense has passed for less than 200 yards in 22 games.

■ The Gators have produced 400 yards or more in only 11 games.

■ UF had three consecutive games with less than 100 passing yards during the 2012 season.

■ This year's team ranks 106th in the nation in total offense. The Gators finished 104th last season and 105th in 2011.

Overall, in the past four seasons, the Gators have been close to inept at times in the passing game and have struggled sustaining drives and scoring points.

Here's a season-by-season look at the UF offense

2010

Points per game: 29.8 (43rd in the nation).

Passing yards per game: 184.3 (88th in the nation).

Total offense: 351.2 yards per game (83rd in the nation).

Best offensive performance: 48 points and 547 total yards in a 48-10 win over Appalachian State.

Worst offensive performance: three points, 281 total yards in a 31-3 loss to Alabama.

The skinny: The Gators had five games where they were held to less than 300 total yards and had six games where they threw for less than 200 yards. UF did not have a 300-yard passing game.

2011

Points per game: 25.5 (71st in the nation).

Passing yards per game: 185.7 (88th in the nation).

Total offense: 328.7 yards per game (105th in the nation).

Best offensive performance: 48 points and 520 total yards in a 48-10 victory at Kentucky.

Worst offensive performance: six points and 194 total yards in a 17-6 loss at Auburn.

The skinny: The Gators scored 12 points or less in five games and had six games where they threw for less than 134 yards. UF had one 300-yard passing game (329 against Furman).

2012

Points per game: 26.5 (78th in the nation).

Passing yards per game: 146.3 (118th in the nation).

Total offense: 334.0 yards per game (104th in the nation).

Best offensive performance: 37 points and 555 total yards in a 37-20 victory at Tennessee.

Worst defensive performance: nine points and 266 total yards in a 17-9 loss to Georgia.

The skinny: Even in one of the biggest wins of the season, a 44-11 thumping of South Carolina, the Gators gained only 183 total yards and threw for just 94. UF had three consecutive games with less than 100 passing yards (LSU, Vanderbilt and South Carolina) and gained less than 300 total yards in five games. The Gators had only three games where they produced 400 yards or more of offense.

2013

Points per game: 21.1 (103rd in the nation).

Passing yards per game: 175.4 (109th in the nation).

Total offense: 336.9 yards a game (106th in the nation).

Best offensive performance: 24 points and 415 total yards in a 24-6 win over Toledo.

Worst offensive performance: six points and 240 total yards in a 17-6 loss at LSU.

The skinny: UF has thrown for less than 200 yards in five of seven games and scored 30 points or more only twice. In the 36-17 loss at Missouri last Saturday, the Gators managed only 151 yards of total offense (59 rushing; 92 passing) and 11 first downs, while averaging only 2.5 yards per play.

Contact Robbie Andreu at 352-374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com. Also check out Andreu's blog at Gatorsports.com.

<p>During hard times like these, when the yards, first downs and points are difficult to come by and the losses are accumulating, coaches and athletic directors tend to urge the fan base to be patient, saying that everything will be OK.</p><p>But in the case of Florida's slumping offense, it may not be realistic to ask for more patience from the fans. Because this slump the Gators are mired in has not been for just a few games or a few months, it is now deep into its fourth consecutive season.</p><p>The Florida offense has been erratic, sporadic and one of the most inefficient and ineffective in college football over the past four years. The Gators have been missing more than they've been hitting since the Tim Tebow era ended with an offensive explosion (51 points, 482 yards passing, 659 total yards) in the 2010 Sugar Bowl victory over Cincinnati.</p><p>The UF offense has not had a performance even close to that one since.</p><p>Here are some of the grim facts and figures covering the three-plus seasons of offensive struggles:</p><p>■ The Gators have been held to single digits in scoring in seven games.</p><p>■ There has been only one 300-yard passing game, that coming against Furman in 2011.</p><p>■ There have been 28 games where the Gators have thrown for less than 200 yards. </p><p>■ The Gators have had only 16 games where they produced 400 or more total yards.</p><p>■ UF's most productive offense over the past four years was Steve Addazio's 2010 group, which finished the season ranked 88th in the nation in total offense.</p><p>In the two-plus seasons under Will Muschamp, the offensive numbers are even more startling.</p><p>Here are some of the facts and figures under Muschamp:</p><p>■ UF has been held to single-digit points in four games.</p><p>■ The offense has passed for less than 200 yards in 22 games.</p><p>■ The Gators have produced 400 yards or more in only 11 games.</p><p>■ UF had three consecutive games with less than 100 passing yards during the 2012 season.</p><p>■ This year's team ranks 106th in the nation in total offense. The Gators finished 104th last season and 105th in 2011.</p><p>Overall, in the past four seasons, the Gators have been close to inept at times in the passing game and have struggled sustaining drives and scoring points.</p><h3>Here's a season-by-season look at the UF offense</h3>
<p><b>2010</b></p><p><b>Points per game:</b> 29.8 (43rd in the nation).</p><p><b>Passing yards per game:</b> 184.3 (88th in the nation).</p><p><b>Total offense:</b> 351.2 yards per game (83rd in the nation).</p><p><b>Best offensive performance:</b> 48 points and 547 total yards in a 48-10 win over Appalachian State.</p><p><b>Worst offensive performance:</b> three points, 281 total yards in a 31-3 loss to Alabama.</p><p><b>The skinny:</b> The Gators had five games where they were held to less than 300 total yards and had six games where they threw for less than 200 yards. UF did not have a 300-yard passing game.</p><p><b>2011</b></p><p><b>Points per game:</b> 25.5 (71st in the nation).</p><p><b>Passing yards per game:</b> 185.7 (88th in the nation).</p><p><b>Total offense:</b> 328.7 yards per game (105th in the nation).</p><p><b>Best offensive performance:</b> 48 points and 520 total yards in a 48-10 victory at Kentucky.</p><p><b>Worst offensive performance:</b> six points and 194 total yards in a 17-6 loss at Auburn.</p><p><b>The skinny:</b> The Gators scored 12 points or less in five games and had six games where they threw for less than 134 yards. UF had one 300-yard passing game (329 against Furman).</p><p><b>2012</b></p><p><b>Points per game:</b> 26.5 (78th in the nation).</p><p><b>Passing yards per game:</b> 146.3 (118th in the nation).</p><p><b>Total offense:</b> 334.0 yards per game (104th in the nation).</p><p><b>Best offensive performance:</b> 37 points and 555 total yards in a 37-20 victory at Tennessee.</p><p><b>Worst defensive performance:</b> nine points and 266 total yards in a 17-9 loss to Georgia.</p><p><b>The skinny:</b> Even in one of the biggest wins of the season, a 44-11 thumping of South Carolina, the Gators gained only 183 total yards and threw for just 94. UF had three consecutive games with less than 100 passing yards (LSU, Vanderbilt and South Carolina) and gained less than 300 total yards in five games. The Gators had only three games where they produced 400 yards or more of offense.</p><p><b>2013</b></p><p><b>Points per game:</b> 21.1 (103rd in the nation).</p><p><b>Passing yards per game:</b> 175.4 (109th in the nation).</p><p><b>Total offense:</b> 336.9 yards a game (106th in the nation).</p><p><b>Best offensive performance:</b> 24 points and 415 total yards in a 24-6 win over Toledo.</p><p><b>Worst offensive performance:</b> six points and 240 total yards in a 17-6 loss at LSU.</p><p><b>The skinny:</b> UF has thrown for less than 200 yards in five of seven games and scored 30 points or more only twice. In the 36-17 loss at Missouri last Saturday, the Gators managed only 151 yards of total offense (59 rushing; 92 passing) and 11 first downs, while averaging only 2.5 yards per play.</p><p><i>Contact Robbie Andreu at 352-374-5022 or andreur@gvillesun.com. Also check out Andreu's blog at Gatorsports.com.</i></p>